The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-06-30

of conversation, and say, 81 have q
slight acquaintance with an aunt OF
yours, Mrs. Grant-Miss Deborah
Holbrook."
The face lifted to his was transfigur-
cd, while its owner eagerly exclaimed,
my Aunt Debby! Oh, do y0N know
her? Do you. live in Cliftonvillep
Have you known, her lOngp Is she wellP
When did you see her lastP
No" said the doctor laughingly,
my home is not in Cliftonville, but I
spent a few weeks there just before
coming here, and made her acquaint-
ance then. She is very well. 1 saw
her the morning I left, and she charged
me. when | saw you, to tell you that
she should certainly expect you for
q long visit this fall"
'Humph!" said the Deacon, sullen-
"; while Aunt Myra snapped out,
docs she think car rates have gone
down, or that You have come in pos
session of a million ,-whichr'
But even that sheer could not take
the happy light out of Mrs. Grants
~ es. THANK you" she said in an
earnest tone, as the doctor was leaving
the room; 1T is almost like seeing
Aunt Deborah herself. to see some one
who knows her. l shall write her that
| have met you" {
SAY, too. that I advise you, by all
means, to accept her invitation"
THANK you, but''-with a patient
little sigh--.I. fear that will be impos-
sible this year."
'Is Aunt Myra'a constant inmate of
your homer" asked the DR., of the dea-
con while making his adieux. ss ,
''Well. she's been here with us the
biggest part of two years. was the re-
joinder. "She has no neal relatives,
except a brother, and somehow, he and
his wife cant seem to get along with
her. | felt sorry for the poor old body,
SO l asked her here on a visit. and she's
staid ever since. To be sure, she's
abunlantly able to pay her board any
where, but then. that amt nv idea of
hospitality. She's a little peculiar in
some things perhaps, but, bless me! a
baby could get a along with Aunt N.Y.
RAJ
YES, a baby might" thought the
doctor, ''but not a sensitive, over
wrought woman, whose very nerve lies
on the surface, and quivers at the slight
est touch" But he prudently held his
peace, knowing from a certain look in
the deacon's eye that Aunt Myra was q
sore topic in the Grant household.
Within a month, DR.. Brownell was
summoned to Mrs. Grants bedside.
Il don't know what is the matter
with me, DOCTOR" she said family, in
answer to- his question. Il gave out
all at once and all over, and it seems to
me that I shall never be able to pull
myself up again. / don't care much.
If I could ouly die, l should not care at
all; but If I am to be sick a long tine
y doctor, promise ME that if l am to
be sick a long time, Aunt Myra shan't
come near me! I can't stand her. And
won't you tell the deacon that I must
have Aunt Debby here? o doctor, I
mast"
And here for the first time in her life.
Helen Grant fell into a storm of hys-
terical sobbing.
HE doctor soothed her like a tired
child, and did not leave her until she
had fallen into a light slumber.
deacon Grant," he said, as he
joined that anxious husband in the
room below, your wife is a very sick
woman. l foresaw this clearly the day
I dined with you. It is q clear case of
complete nervous p%rostration. She
must have the most perfect care and
absolute rest You mus Keep guests
out of the house, and I will not be an
swerable for consequences i your Aunt
enters her room. She must
A.. some n to care for her whom
she really loves her Aunt Deborah
would be the best''- Ct
But" interrupted the deacon, who
had been inwardly chatting under this
torrent or advice, Il can't see why all
this is necessary. = Aunt Myra il as
good a nurse as Aunt Debby."
"Your wife loves Aunt Debby and
loathes Aunt Myra; isn't that reason
enough?"
"But-she ought not be humored in
such whims; she ought not give way to
them. 1t amt Christian-the way she
feels towards Aunt Myra."
'Wait until you are a woman with
worn-out nerves before you pronounce
Judgment" said the doctor ~sternly.
II tell you, this is a matter of life or
death, and / will not undertake the
case unless my orders are strictly
obeyed."
Aunt Debby came the next day, and
was duly installed mistress of the sick
room. IT the doctor had entertained
any fears lest her well-known sweet
ness of temperament should unfit her
to cope with Aunt Myra, they were
quickly dispelled. To two people in
this world could Aunt Debby' be stern
Deacon Grant and his aunt; for
hadn't they-to use her own words
taken all the life and hope out of my
blessed babyP"
keep Aunt Myra out of the roomp''
she had said in answer to the Doctors
commands; sif she comes in, it will
be over my PROSTATE form"
But Aunt Myra was not SO sasily kept
out; she proved herself fertile in expe-
dients for reaching that chamber door.
and many were the passages alarms
had with Aunt Debby in the hall.
,e staircase-wherever she could
manage to waylay her. ~
Aunt Debby always locked the door
and put the key in her pocket whenev-
er she was obliged to leave the room,
but one day having failed to do so, she
returned to find her patient in hyster-
les, with Aunt Myra standing over her
and lecturing her in a high key on the
sin OF mourning SO much expense. with
nothing the matter but laziness.
After that the deacon himself was
obliged to present to his aunt the al
tentative of keeping out Of the sick
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